AN ELDERLY brother and sister who had lived together all their lives died after collapsing at their Birmingham home, an inquest was told.

AN ELDERLY brother and sister who had lived together all their lives died after collapsing at their Birmingham home, an inquest was told.

The devoted pair were found at the house they shared in Bromford Lane, Ward End, after relatives became concerned.

Both were taken to Heartlands Hospital, but 82-year-old Elsie Bill died within hours and her 75-year-old brother, Donald Bill, survived only until the following day.

City coroner Aidan Cotter said the house was secure, there were no suspicious circumstances and a gas leak had been ruled out.

Mr Bill, who suffered from heart problems, had collapsed in the kitchen, he said.

"His sister was, quite reasonably hurrying to help him. She may well have stumbled and fallen," he said.

The coroner said this was likely to have been the case because her broken toenail was found in the hall and because she had suffered quite serious injuries, including a broken arm and five broken ribs.

Pathologist Edward Jones said both had bad hearts and both had died from hypothermia.

He said he did not believe they had lain on the floor for more than 24 hours before police forced entry into their home on February 11.

The coroner recorded that the pair had died as a result of an accident.